The Cruise of the Coracle

• Jim wakes up and finds himself about a quarter of a mile offshore of the southwest end of the island.
• He decides to row to shore but can't – there are so many rocks that it's not safe for him to get close.
• He also sees sea lions on the coast, which freaks him out.
• Jim decides to try rowing further north to an easier coastline: the Cape of the Woods. (Check out this map to see where the Cape of the Woods lies in relation to Jim's original location, Haulbowline Head.)
• The boat carries Jim quickly along the current.
• He tries to row in a slightly different position and the boat nearly tips over and gets drenched.
• He has to move very carefully to remove the seawater with his cap.
• He figures out a method for steering the boat, but he has to stay propped on his elbows in an uncomfortable position to keep it balanced.
• Jim is relieved that he is approaching the shore because he's getting incredibly thirsty.
• Suddenly he sees the Hispaniola about half a mile away.
• The Hispaniola is sailing, but it doesn't seem to be following a steady course. Jim thinks the guys aboard are still drunk.
• The Hispaniola keeps moving forward and backward, and Jim realizes that no one seems to be steering. Either the men aboard are drunk or have abandoned ship.
• Jim thinks that, if he can get aboard, he could retake control of the Hispaniola for Captain Smollett.
• He decides to try his luck, paddling his tiny boat towards the Hispaniola and eventually managing to catch up.
• The current suddenly brings the Hispaniola around so that it collides with Jim's boat. He only just manages to leap for the ship's bowsprit (the pole sticking out of the front of the ship) just before it runs right over his boat.
• So now Jim is back on board the Hispaniola without any means of rowing to shore.